Anthony Edwards, the up-and-coming talent of the Minnesota Timberwolves, keeps proving his ability to impact games. At the young age of 23, Edwards guided his team to the Western Conference Finals and played a vital part in Team USA securing their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal. With ample space for development, he is ready to elevate his game and bring the Timberwolves to greater success.
Edwards Taking Control in the Playoffs
Anthony Edwards has increased his responsibilities in the Timberwolves’ offense each year. During the 2024 playoffs, he significantly increased his time of possession as the team utilized him more in their plays. The Timberwolves increased their number of ball screens for Edwards to 48 per 100 possessions, up from 35 during the regular season. His enhanced contribution resulted in the Wolves being more effective in scoring during the playoffs compared to the regular season.
Although he received more focus, Edwards managed to boost his shooting accuracy, achieving a true shooting percentage of 59.8% in the playoffs compared to 57.5% in the regular season. Nevertheless, his utilization rate saw a slight drop due to defenses prioritizing taking the ball away from him.
Mid-Range Struggles
Although Edwards made progress in various aspects, he continued to struggle with his mid-range shooting. He had the lowest mid-range shooting percentage, at 35.1%, among players who made at least 200 attempts during the regular season. Enhancing his pull-up jumper, which is sometimes unreliable, has the potential to greatly impact both him and the Timberwolves.
Expanding His Playmaking
Edwards has also improved as a playmaker, with increases in assists per game every season. During the playoffs, he utilized the post area more often, leveraging his physical attributes to generate scoring chances for his teammates. Despite a limited sample size, the Timberwolves showed good efficiency when Edwards utilized post-up plays, suggesting a new offensive tool in his expanding skill set.
With his ongoing development, Edwards has the potential to be the crucial factor in the Timberwolves achieving their goals.
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